1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for staining slides of human tissue specimens, and more particularly for staining histology and cytology tissue specimens on a slide for subsequent microscopic examination.
2. Description of the Background Art
Throughout the United States steps are being taken to improve Slide Staining Systems for subsequent pathologic examination in medical laboratories and hospitals. The primary cost component of preparing and staining a slide is labor. Accordingly, many efforts have been devoted to reduce the labor cost component of preparing a slide. With the advent of cost containment throughout the health-care industry, renewed efforts are being made to examine all direct labor cost areas with a focus on reducing the amount of labor heretofore involved, and the associated cost.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,472 issued to Slonicki, discloses an automated system for the application of cover glasses on histological and cytological slides. Patent ""472 discloses a processing area wherein a slide that has been stained previously is progressively turned 90 degrees to mate with a cover glass to insure a contamination free tissue specimen.
Patent ""472 also disclosed a device for depositing glue on the stain slide and a device for applying the cover glass to the glued portion of the slide. Patent ""472 is silent of the use of a fume extractor to remove noxious and harmful fumes from the apparatus, which could cause a reduction in the quality of the surrounding environment, where other lab personnel are working.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,019 issued to Pickett disclosed an apparatus for covering a slide with a tape material. Patent ""019 teaches away from the use of a cover glass to seal the specimen and maintain the specimen in a contamination free environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,465 issued to Zold discloses an apparatus for dispensing a staining fluid. Patent ""465 does not teach or suggest using the apparatus for sealing the stained slide with any type of optically correct transparent material. Patent ""465 further is silent to the use of a fume extractor for cleaning the toxic and noxious gases generated in the staining process and removing potentially harmful compounds from the environment which could be harmful to laboratory workers who are adjacent to or in proximity to the slide staining apparatus.
None of these previous efforts, however, provide the benefits intended with the present invention. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art device through a new, useful and non-obvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available material.
The present invention provides an automatic staining system for which will successfully and efficiently process stained slides, such as cytology or histology specimens. This system of the present invention enables the stain slide to be process and includes an alternative embodiment for enabling a cover slip to be secured thereto. Such versatility in an apparatus will provide a system, which is accurately and effectively process, any specimen on a stained slide. This system of the present invention is so design so as to minimize the amount of material used during conventional process as well as provide a system which will distribute solution, used in the staining process, thoroughly and without trapping air therein.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the system is used to process slides and provides a protective layer thereon, once the slide has been process. In this embodiment, the system of the present invention includes a slide storage device, a slide transport apparatus, a processing platen including a plurality of staining stations, and a heating station.
The slides to be processed are stored in the slide storage device. Upon activation of the apparatus, the slides are expelled, one at a time, for processing via the slide transport apparatus. This transport apparatus further enables the slides to be carried onto the staining stations for processing.
The last dispensing station on the processing platen releases a resin solution. From this dispensing station, the slide is guided to a heating station. At this time the resin coating, which was applied at the last dispensing station, is dried. This will provide for the slide to have a protective resin coating. After the resin has dried, the slide will be dropped into a slide receptacle.
The embodiment described above can be altered slightly so that a cover slip apparatus can be incorporated within the system. In order to do so, the heating station is removed. A Cover slip dispensing apparatus replaces the heating station. In this configuration a cover slip is applied directly after the staining of the particular slide. As desirable, this particular arrangement will intrinsically offer more protection to the processed specimen.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide for a staining system that will process stained slides efficiently and effectively and which will overcome the deficiencies, drawbacks, and shortcomings of prior staining apparatus and methods thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a staining system which will process stained slides and encapsulate the specimen on a slide in a sterile and contaminant free environment while utilizing minimal laboratory labor.
Still another object if the present invention is to provide a slide staining system that will successfully eliminate any potential for cellular contamination between slides during the staining process this will result in preventing the tissue specimen to be in direct communication with the slide staining apparatus for inherently preventing any cross contamination of specimens between successive slides.
A further object of the present invention to provide a slide staining system that removes all the toxic and noxious fumes generated in the slide staining process from the surrounding environment in order to reduce the adverse effect on laboratory personnel.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a slide staining system that can quickly be converted from histological specimens to cytological specimens with minimal downtime and minimal conversion effort.
Still a further object of the present invention, to be specifically enumerated herein, is to provide a slide staining system in accordance with the proceeding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that would be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.
Although there have been many inventions related to a slide staining system none of the inventions have become sufficiently compact, low cost and reliable enough to become commonly used. The present invention meets the requirements of the simplified design, compact size, low initial cost, low operating cost, ease of installation and maintainability, and minimal amount of training to successfully employ the invention.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and application of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.